Aug. 22, 2025
Beyond the Surface: Making Intentional Backsplash Choices
Transforming your kitchen with the perfect backsplash starts with understanding its role as the "jewelry" that completes your space. Should you choose your backsplash first, or follow the more traditional sequence of cabinets, countertops, flooring, and then backsplash? While there's no absolute rule, Mike and Abby share their professional approach to creating kitchens that feel intentional rather than haphazard. The conversation delves into an essential design question: what element should ...
Transforming your kitchen with the perfect backsplash starts with understanding its role as the "jewelry" that completes your space. Should you choose your backsplash first, or follow the more traditional sequence of cabinets, countertops, flooring, and then backsplash? While there's no absolute rule, Mike and Abby share their professional approach to creating kitchens that feel intentional rather than haphazard.
The conversation delves into an essential design question: what element should be your kitchen's star? If you've invested in showstopping cabinets or a dramatic countertop, your backsplash might play a supporting role. Alternatively, in a kitchen with simpler elements, a bold backsplash can instantly elevate the entire space from ordinary to extraordinary. One client example featured plain shaker cabinets and a white countertop completely transformed by metallic glass tile that added unexpected glamour.
From material selection (with a myth-busting discussion about glass tile's enduring appeal) to practical maintenance considerations, Mike and Abby cover everything homeowners need to know about backsplash design. They explore how newer grout options like urethane and epoxy have revolutionized maintenance, offer installation tips like using caulk at transition points, and emphasize how proper lighting makes even simple tile selections look high-end. Their practical advice on budget considerations, from affordable ceramic options to splurge-worthy custom mosaics, ensures listeners at every price point can create backsplashes that truly belong in their kitchens.
Ready to transform your kitchen with a backsplash that perfectly complements your space? Visit belktile.com, call 614-543-8334, or connect with us on social media to turn the insights from this episode into your own beautiful kitchen reality.
Chapters
00:00 - Intro and Back-to-School Chat
01:10 - Kitchen Backsplash Design Approach
03:03 - Material Choices and Style Myths
05:39 - Practical Maintenance Considerations
07:06 - Lighting Makes All the Difference
08:28 - Episode Wrap-Up and Contact Info
Transcript
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What kind of tile can you put on the wall or shower?
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Do you have to seal tile?
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How much extra tile should I buy for my project?
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What thinset is the best for my tile application?
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How hard is it to maintain natural stone?
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You have questions.
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We have answers.
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Welcome to the Belk Tile Podcast.
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How to style the bathroom, the backyard, the kitchen, how to improve your home style with tiles to make your home absolutely beautiful?
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Welcome to the Belk Tile Podcast.
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Here's your host, Mike Belk.
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Happy Friday everyone, and happy Friday Mike.
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Good morning, abby, and, yes, happy Friday.
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Well, the kids are back to school and I am ready for the break.
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Oh, yes, it is that time of year, isn't it?
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Yes, it seems like a mad rush right before school starts, with shopping for clothes, school supplies and so on.
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I am glad I am past that part.
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Now it is just writing checks and paying college credit cards.
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So what will be the topic of conversation today?
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I thought we would get into kitchen backsplashes.
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Always a good topic and a popular one this time of year.
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All right, mike, let's jump into it Designing a backsplash that actually feels like it belongs in your kitchen.
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I get this question all the time when do you even start?
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Do you pick a backsplash first, or is it cabinets and counters?
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Yeah, that's always kind of funny, isn't it?
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Folks think there's just one right order, and honestly I've seen it every which way.
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But what usually works best is pick your cabinets first, countertop, second then flooring and finally the backsplash.
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The backsplash is, like you know, the jewelry for your kitchen.
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Sort of ties it all together at the end.
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But hey, nothing's set in stone.
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If a wild tile catches your eye early on, run with it.
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Just grab a sample first.
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Exactly.
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I always tell clients you've got to live with a few tile samples for a week.
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Stare at them with your cabinets, your counters, under your actual kitchen.
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Lighting Photos help too.
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Sometimes I'll have folks email me a snapshot of their space with their sample tiles thrown in, and it's wild how that one little detail can change your whole perspective.
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The camera picks up stuff your eye misses or maybe that's just me.
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Sometimes I'm squinting and overanalyzing the lighting.
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Mike, you ever notice that?
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All the time.
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Abby Lighting's a whole topic in itself.
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But real quick, ask yourself do you want your backsplash to be the star, or is it there to back up the counters or the cabinets?
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Like if you've got a crazy-veined quartz slab, maybe let that shine and the backsplash blend in quietly.
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But if your kitchen's sort of tame making the backsplash pop adds the drama, oh, I have the perfect example.
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I worked with a client last year Super plain shaker cabinets, white countertop really nothing fancy.
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We installed this metallic glass tile for the backsplash.
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The whole vibe changed.
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It caught the light and suddenly the kitchen felt intentional and, dare I say, glamorous.
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It was like putting on that statement necklace.
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Everyone stops and stares.
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That's the impact of going bold.
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But sometimes you want things to just flow and let you know your grandma's china or the countertop do the talking.
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It's just about deciding what your star is.
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Totally and look.
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Even after all these years, I still ask people what's got to stand out in this room.
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It's the same sort of question we get for fireplace surrounds, or remember that shower floors episode.
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Sometimes safety is the star, sometimes it's the style.
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Just depends on what you value most.
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All right, since we're on the subject of making things pop or blend, let's talk product choices.
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I swear the number of options now is staggering Glass, stone, metal, porcelain.
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Abby, do you have a favorite, or is it all about the space?
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You know me, I'm always mixing it up, sometimes literally Size matters too.
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Traditional kitchens, I tend to lean towards a 4x4.
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Or for some texture, a nice mosaic, I tend to lean towards a 4x4 or for some texture, a nice mosaic.
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More modern.
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Sometimes we go big, those large format subway tiles or even something linear like 2x12s.
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But I love using glass or metal as accents if the client's up for it and can we finally bust the myth that glass tile is going out of style?
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If it fits the home's vibe, it works.
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Classic glass still feels fresh, especially if you play with shape or color.
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I get asked that by every third customer.
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Is glass just a fad?
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But look, technology's taken off.
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Glass these days comes in every texture frosted, clear, colored, you name it.
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It's not going anywhere, I will say, if your tile doesn't have a bullnose finish, that's where people get tripped up.
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Some tiles, especially natural stone, just don't come with trim.
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So you've got to get creative.
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Maybe a pencil molding or a sleek metal edge.
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A lot of choices there too, so it still looks finished.
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And can I just point out, you do not need the backsplash to match the floors to make it work.
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But true story, I had this one client dead set on using the exact same porcelain tile from their floor for their backsplash.
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I was skeptical at first, mike not gonna lie.
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But with a metallic liner added for contrast, it all came together.
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The effect was super cohesive but not boring.
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Sometimes repeating a material adds that custom designer touch.
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But you gotta tweak it a little, add an accent so it doesn't get too matchy-matchy.
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Yeah, I had a guy a while back who did the same.
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At first I thought, uh-oh, this might be a bit much, but it turned out great, especially after we threw in a band of glass.
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It just proves there's no one right answer With tile.
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Experimenting's half the fun, and always, always, get samples and see them in the actual light of your kitchen before you go all in.
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Let's get a little practical for a second.
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You want a beautiful backsplash, but you also want one that's not a royal pain to clean or maintain.
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So what should people look for if easy care is a priority?
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Oh, easy.
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Glazed porcelain or ceramic is your best pal here.
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Super smooth, doesn't need sealing.
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If you do like natural stone, travertine, marble, whatever just know, you'll need to seal it every now and then, but honestly, not that big of a deal if you're on top of it.
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Glass easiest cleanup ever A little spray and a wipe and you're done.
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But here's what I always push Newer grouts like urethane or epoxy total game changer.
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They don't need sealing, they're pretty much maintenance free and they resist mold and stains like crazy.
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That newer grouts thing it's a revelation, not gonna lie Makes life so much easier, especially in a kitchen with spaghetti sauce flying around and when it comes to install, big debate, mike.
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Grout or caulk at the counter and cabinet edge.
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Use caulk always.
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Grout will crack and fall out over time.
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Where the tile meets a moving surface like the countertop or cabinets, most grouts have a matching caulk so you still get a seamless look and you know transitions are important.
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Don't forget your finishing pieces bullnose or metal edges, otherwise the whole thing just looks unfinished.
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And just to toss in some real numbers.
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The range on a backsplash install is wild.
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A straightforward ceramic 4x4 job.
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You might be out just a few hundred bucks, but last month I did a custom glass and metal mosaic for a client Little under cabinet lighting and let's just say that one got closer to a few thousand.
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It's all about the materials, how complicated you want to go, and I mean even a simple job deserves some finishing flair If you budget for one wow moment, even a small kitchen gets special.
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Since you brought up that, under cabinet lighting, let's get into lighting.
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You can have the prettiest backsplash in the world, but if it's living in the shadows, what's the point?
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Proper lighting makes every color and detail pop, especially glass or metallic finishes.
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Oh, absolutely, and you want to think about more than just.
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Can I see my coffee pot?
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Try under cabinet strips or puck lights to avoid that ugly shadow line across the tile.
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If you've got a feature wall or a super textured surface, it's like what we said a couple episodes ago with black tile Lighting brings out every bit of depth and texture.
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Just a bit of warm white LED think 2700K to 3000K and you're gold Too cool and things get harsh and starry.
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Right.
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Watch out for glare on glossy tile too.
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Sometimes matte finishes or even just diffused lighting solves that.
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But placement is huge.
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I always nudge people to get their lighting installed before they lock in a grout color or tile finish, just so you can actually see the real-life effect.
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And hey, integrate the fixtures smartly, hide those wires and pick a fixture style that fits in, not one that looks like an afterthought bolted on top.
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The seamless look is everything lately, especially with open layouts.
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Sometimes a little planning is all it takes Tuck the wires, match your switch plates, plan those lighting runs before the tile goes up.
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When it all comes together, that's when kitchens start to feel high-end even on a tight budget, and that's what we want for everyone tuning in.
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Couldn't have said it better, Abby.
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Well, that about wraps up today's Backsplash Deep Dive.
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If you picked up something helpful or have more questions, there's always future episodes.
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Thanks, Abby.
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Always a pleasure chatting tile with you.
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Thank you, mike, and thanks to everyone listening.
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Go try some samples.
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Play with lighting and we'll catch you next episode on Belk Tile Talk.
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Take care.
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See you soon, Abby, Take care everyone.
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You've been listening to the Belk Tile Podcast.
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When it comes to creating a beautiful home using tile, this is the podcast for products, design ideas and tips.
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We hope you got some useful practical information from this show and we'll be back soon, but in the meantime, reach out.
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The website is wwwbelktilecom.
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Our store phone number is 614-543-8334.
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Find us on Facebook and Twitter at Belk Tile, and on Instagram at Belk Tiles.
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Make sure to leave a rating and review and if you have questions or comments, reach out and we'll talk about it on the next show.
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Till next time.
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